After tallying the aftermath, Elian and the Patriarch discovered the battle's severe casualties.
A total of 25 Foundation Establishment cultivators had fallen, and among the nearly 100 remaining, most were injured, suffering intensely from the invasive fire energy that temporarily crippled their combat effectiveness.
The Chen family did not escape unscathed either. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators had died, and five others, including the promising Chen Nianchuan, had been afflicted by the fire energy.
Seeing their pained expressions, Elian offered, "There are still some stocks of Water Essence in the family treasury. I'll refine a few batches of second-tier pills later, which should remove 80-90% of the fire energy."
"The rest will take some time to heal but shouldn't be a major issue," he reassured them.
Chen Nianchuan nodded, enduring the torment of the fire energy within him, and gritted his teeth.
"I wonder how this fire energy compares to the pain of overcoming the physical tribulation of breaking into the Purple Mansion realm?"
Elian's pupils contracted slightly, and he couldn't help but ask, "You mean to say…?"
Chen Nianchuan nodded firmly, his teeth clenched.
"I want to try to subdue the fire energy, using the fiery essence to temper my meridians and improve my chances of breaking into the Purple Mansion realm."
Admittedly, his idea held potential.
The fire energy was incredibly aggressive, yet it could also sharpen a cultivator's resolve. If one could endure the torment and refine the fire energy, the likelihood of overcoming the physical tribulations required for advancement would increase significantly.
As a triple-root cultivator of fire, wood, and earth, and someone who had already formed his Foundation through self-effort, Chen Nianchuan theoretically had the ability to integrate the fire energy into his spiritual energy, enhancing its sharpness and dominance.
However, the pain and difficulty would be immense. Elian recalled that Chen Qingyuan had once been tainted by a mere wisp of fire energy and, unable to withstand the agony, had taken his own life.
After the underground fire vein in Dawn Valley erupted, the entire spiritual vein was corrupted by fire energy, transforming a thousand-mile radius into a molten wasteland.
Countless spiritual resources were consumed in the inferno, and it would likely take hundreds of years for the area to recover.
"This spiritual vein and its associated vein are completely destroyed," Elian sighed.
"Even after a century of calm, their grade will drop significantly."
He led the group back to the main camp beneath Qingyang Mountain.
At the spiritual vein of Qingyang Mountain, atop a towering peak, a figure stood quietly outside a cave.
It was Elder Mo, one of the elders of the Qingyang Sect. His white hair and beard reflected his age as he stepped into the cave.
Inside, a green-robed elder sat cross-legged, his expression composed as he addressed Elder Mo.
"Junior Brother, how is the situation?"
"Both Wei Chongyang's and Lin Mohou's soul lamps have gone out."
"However, the fire vein at Dawn Valley has erupted. Many of their forces have likely been heavily injured. It seems Lin Mohou did not let us down," Elder Mo replied evenly, though his eyes betrayed a deep sadness.
The moment they handed the Thunder Calamity Orb to Lin Mohou, he must have understood his mission.
Sold to Qingyang Sect as a child and later sacrificed by the same sect when his cultivation matured—it was a cruel fate.
Yet, Lin Mohou went willingly, his blood and bones repaying the sect's century of nurturing.
Elder Mo's gaze turned to the green-robed elder, Liu Laozu, and he asked, "Liu Shixiong, were you successful?"
"Mostly," Elder Liu nodded, his expression cold. He had consumed a near-fourth-tier longevity pill, one of the sect's prized treasures, extending his lifespan by 50 years and successfully breaking through to the pseudo-Golden Core realm.
"They believe I am bedridden and dying, incapable of protecting Qingyang Sect as they besiege us," Elder Liu said coldly.
"When the time comes, they will be in for a massive surprise."
Elder Mo smiled faintly, stroking his beard.
"The fire vein explosion in Dawn Valley likely infected many of Jiang Linglong's Purple Mansion cultivators with fire energy, delaying their recovery by at least half a year."
"And you, Junior Brother, only need five months to fully recover. Once Uncle Xu emerges, with a Golden Core cultivator presiding over the mountain-protecting formation, even three to five Golden Core cultivators working together may struggle to break through. When that time comes, they will surely regret their folly."
Meanwhile, at the base of Qingyang Mountain, Jiang Linglong surveyed the wounded forces, her delicate brows furrowing.
Of the 30 Purple Mansion cultivators participating in the battle, more than ten had already been afflicted by fire energy before the fighting began.
This was particularly problematic for key late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators like Elder Fang and Xu Qianyang, who were essential to the battle's high-end combat strength.
Elian also found the situation troubling and voiced his concern.
"With so many afflicted by fire energy, they won't recover their combat strength in the short term. Should we consider delaying the assault?"
"There is another option," Jiang Linglong replied calmly. As a fourth-tier alchemist, she naturally had ways to suppress the fire energy.
"The treasures seized during the Sky Python Lake battle included some third-tier pearls. I still have a few left. With them, I can refine Water Essence Purification Pills, which will allow them to recover 70-80% of their strength."
True to her word, Jiang Linglong spent five days refining two batches of Water Essence Purification Pills. After taking the pills, the afflicted cultivators expelled 60% of the fire energy from their bodies. While not fully recovered, they could now exert 70-80% of their combat strength.
By this point, Jiang Linglong decided that further delays were no longer an option.
Ancestor Xu's recovery had been meticulously calculated by Jiang Linglong, including his healing pills and retreat schedule. If he emerged early, it would undo much of the healing.
However, once fully healed, he could preside over the fourth-tier mid-grade defensive formation at Qingyang Mountain. With a Golden Core cultivator at the helm, the formation would be virtually impenetrable, even for multiple Golden Core cultivators working together.
Such a scenario would result in a grueling battle, with victory coming at enormous cost and a likely pyrrhic outcome.
"It's time," Jiang Linglong declared.
Three days later, under her command, tens of thousands of cultivators unleashed a barrage of techniques and treasures, assaulting Qingyang Mountain's defensive formation.
"How can they be attacking so soon?"
The Qingyang Sect's disciples were visibly shaken as they scrambled to activate the mountain-protecting formation.
Even Elder Mo was caught off guard, his expression shifting subtly. He hadn't anticipated Jiang Linglong's swift decision to launch an all-out attack on the formation.
Low-tier cultivators bombarded the defensive barrier relentlessly, while the higher-tier cultivators hovered in the air, waiting for the right moment to strike.
This strategy ensured that the barrier's energy would be gradually depleted by the lower-tier cultivators, leaving the higher-tier cultivators to deliver the decisive blows at the opportune moment.
...
85+ chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D